Written Answers Nos. 896-915
896. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the average amount paid to recipients of social welfare schemes administered by her Department in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1422/23]
View answer897. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the amount paid to the highest single recipient of social welfare schemes administered by her Department in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1423/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 896 and 897 together.
The majority of payments that are issued by the Department reflects the entitlement period where the recipient’s claim was open. However payments can be issued in respect to different entitlement periods (i.e. arrears payments). Arrears can be due to persons where there is a gap between their entitlement date and the date of their first payment. In some cases, typically cases where a claim is awarded following an appeals process, there may be several weeks of arrears payments due to a person. Such payments occur each week, and these payments cannot readily be distinguished from non-arrears payments. Because of this, and on statistical disclosure grounds, my Department is unable to provide details on the highest amount issued. However the amount paid to individuals by pay band rates for 2022 is provided in Table 1. These amounts paid may include arrears payments and may not therfore pertain solely to 2022.
The average payment issued to a recipient in 2022 was €7,700. Note that this average amount may also include arrears payments and may not pertain solely to 2022.
The amount paid to recipients of social welfare schemes in 2022.
|
Amount paid (€) |
Recipients |
|
< 2,500 |
676,485 |
|
2,500 - < 5,000 |
326,674 |
|
5,000 - < 7,500 |
212,576 |
|
7,500 - < 10,000 |
130,318 |
|
10,000 - < 12,500 |
252,389 |
|
12,500 - < 15,000 |
405,140 |
|
15,000 + |
450,842 |
898. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the total number of persons who are currently in receipt of a payment from a social welfare scheme administered by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1424/23]
View answerMy Department offers a wide range of social welfare payments. Social Insurance based benefits are available to those who have a sufficient number of contributions over their lifetimes, and are funded through pay-related social insurance (PRSI). Other benefits and additional allowances are means tested, which ensures that the highest payments are available to those most in need, depending on their circumstances.
As at the end of 2022, there were some 1.9 million people in receipt of a social welfare payment.
899. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of claimants who are currently in receipt of the accommodation recognition payment; the total cost of payments made under this scheme to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1425/23]
View answer900. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of Ukrainian refugees who are currently known to be accommodated by persons who are currently in receipt of the accommodation recognition payment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1426/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 899 and 900 together.
The Accommodation Recognition Payment is available to individuals hosting people who are beneficiaries of Temporary Protection who have fled the conflict in Ukraine. The rate of payment increased from €400 per calendar month to €800 per calendar month with effect from 1 December 2022.
The payment is a recognition of the generosity of people who have made accommodation available to victims of a humanitarian crisis, and it is linked to a minimum hosting commitment of six months.
The Accommodation Recognition Payment is administered by my Department on behalf of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and I am happy to support Minister O’Gorman in recognising the contribution of those who opened their homes and houses to those fleeing the war in Ukraine.
As at 16 January 4,274 individual hosts are in receipt of the Accommodation Recognition Payment. 8,969 people who are beneficiaries of Temporary Protection are currently being hosted by people in receipt of the payment. To date, €13.9 million has been paid to recipients of the payment.
I trust that this clarifies matters for the Deputy.
901. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of hours a week the CWO is available for meetings with individuals in the Dún Laoghaire office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1441/23]
View answer902. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the way that an individual can best make an appointment to see the CWO in the Dún Laoghaire office; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1447/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 901 and 902 together.
The delivery of crucial and locally based community welfare services to meet the challenges and the needs of citizens across the country is a priority for me and for the Department of Social Protection.
The CWS provides a flexible service to meet the different needs of customers, who may find themselves in a financially difficult or vulnerable situation. It is important that this service is easily accessible and responsive to customer needs.
A Community Welfare Officer (CWO) is available to meet with citizens in the Dun Laoghaire Intreo Centre during business hours Monday to Friday. Alternatively, an appointment with a CWO can be facilitated within a short time of a person requiring such a meeting, at a mutually agreed location, including at the person's home. Local face-to-face engagement with clients continues to be a cornerstone of the community welfare service. This aspect of the service remains in place and will not change.
It is important to mention that a person does not need to meet with a CWO to make a claim and any person who needs to access the CWS can call the National Contact Phoneline number at 0818 60 70 80, to make an appointment or to speak directly to a CWO. A person can speak with a CWO over the phone if they do not wish to travel to meet with a CWO in person. CWOs working on the phoneline are dealing with approx. 1,700 callers per week.
If an application is urgent, every effort is made to ensure the person receives a payment on the same day. CWOs are very experienced and can consequently generally assess when a case is so urgent that it requires an immediate response.
A person can apply for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) payment by completing a SWA1 form, which is widely available. It can be downloaded at www.gov.ie. It is available in all Intreo Centres and Branch Offices. It can be requested by emailing cwsforms@welfare.ie or by calling 0818 60 70 80. Customers can also request a SWA1 form by using the Request Application Form page available on www.gov.ie.
A completed application form together with any supporting documentation can be returned directly to my Department where the claim will be processed quickly.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
903. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will report on the implementation of the recommendations of the child maintenance review group. [1462/23]
View answerI am very pleased to have published the Report of the Child Maintenance Review Group, in November, together with the Minister for Justice.
The Government established a Child Maintenance Review Group in 2020 to examine a number of issues regarding child maintenance in Ireland and to prepare a report for the Minister for Social Protection on:
(i) The current treatment within the Department of Social Protection of child maintenance payments,
(ii) The current provisions relating to the liable relatives regarding child maintenance, and
(iii) The establishment of a State Child Maintenance Agency.
I am delighted that the Government accepted the Group's recommendations in relation to the social welfare system.
As a result, child maintenance payments will be disregarded in the means test for social welfare payments. As we know, lone parents are a particularly vulnerable group. This measure will mean that many parents currently on reduced rates of payment will see their payment increase. It will also mean that some additional lone parents will qualify for a payment. It is estimated that this measure will be of direct benefit to approximately 16,000 lone parents at a cost of approximately €10 million per year.
My Department is removing the "efforts to seek maintenance" requirement from One-Parent Family Payment and Jobseeker's Transitional Payment. This requirement often involved having to go to Court to seek a maintenance order, so this change will remove a potential additional stress for lone parents and it will help to reduce the burden on our courts system.
In addition, the liable relative provisions will be discontinued. This means that my Department will no longer seek to recoup a portion of claim costs from the non-resident parent. I want to be very clear that removing these provisions does not replace or supersede the primary responsibility of parents to maintain their children.
These are very significant reforms of the social welfare system which will be of great benefit to lone parents. Introducing these changes requires amendments to both primary and secondary legislation. The reforms will also necessitate changes to some of my Department’s systems, application forms and processes. My officials are working on advancing these issues at present to ensure as early an implementation as possible of the reforms.
I trust this clarifies the position.
904. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Social Protection the specific delegated functions that have been transferred to Ministers of State appointed in December 2022, in tabular form; and the date of transfer. [1477/23]
View answerI can confirm that no new Minister of State was appointed to the Department of Social Protection in December 2022.
The Deputy will be aware that, last Friday, the Government appointed Neale Richmond TD as Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection as well as to the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment.
905. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on her Department's position regarding the recognition of Covid-19 as an occupational disease for front-line healthcare workers in Ireland, as per EU ACSH Agreement in May 2022, following the monitoring of the European Commission's work and recommendations in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1497/23]
View answerMy Department provides a suite of income supports to those who cannot work due to illness or disability. It is important to note that eligibility for these payments is generally not dependent on the type of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.
Occupational Injuries Benefit is an income support provided by my Department to those who got injured at work or travelling to and from work, or who contracted a prescribed disease at work.
Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—
(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occupations and not as a risk common to all persons, and
(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reasonable certainty.
My Department is aware of the recommendation of the European Commission in this matter and is consulting with other relevant departments on the matter.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
906. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the name of the company, organisation or persons contracted to provide media training to her from 1 January 2021 to date; the costs incurred; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1514/23]
View answerThe Department of Social Protection has not organised for media training to be provided to me.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
907. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the future of the social welfare sub-office in Castlepollard, County Westmeath. [1523/23]
View answerNo formal decision has yet been taken as to the opening of a new Social Welfare Branch Office dedicated to Castlepollard.
In the interim, the Department has put an outreach service in place in the County Council Offices, Mullingar Road, Castlepollard on Tuesday and Wednesday each week from 09.30 to 13.00 and from 14.00 to 16.00, since April 2022.
The outreach service is fully supported by the Mullingar Intreo Centre where customers are welcome to conduct their business by either attending in person, emailing mullingar@welfare.ie or by phone (044) 9350921. The Department’s services are also available through the Department’s digital & online channels (MyWelfare.ie).
It should be noted that, in the period since the closure of Castlepollard Branch Office and the introduction of an outreach service, the claimload has decreased by approx. 15%, from 728 to 616.
The effectiveness of this outreach service is subject to ongoing review.
908. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Social Protection the status of the case of a person (details supplied) who has been refused a carer's support grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1524/23]
View answerThe Carer's Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers by my department.
I can confirm that my Department received an application for the Carer’s Support Grant (CSG) from the person concerned on 20 April 2022.
In order to qualify for CSG, a person must be providing full time care and attention. Full time care and attention is defined as not less than 35 hours in a period of 7 consecutive days, and care is provided on any 5 days, whether consecutive or not within a period of 7 consecutive days.
As the person concerned stated that she was caring four hours per day, four days per week a total of 16 hours care per week, she was not providing full-time care and attention. The application was disallowed, and a letter issued to the person concerned on 10 May 2022, informing her of the decision and of her of her right of review and appeal.
On the 7 July 2022 the person concerned requested a review of the decision. She was notified by the Department, on the 11 July 2022, that on review the original decision was upheld.
On the 11 August 2022 a request for an appeal of the decision was received. On 14 November 2022 the Social Welfare Appeals Office notified the person concerned that her appeal was disallowed.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
909. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1584/23]
View answerThe spouse of the person concerned is in receipt of an Increase for a qualified adult payment on their State pension (Contributory) since 31/01/2013.
An increase for a qualified adult is a means-tested payment, payable to a claimant whose spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is being wholly or mainly maintained by them, and where that qualified adult’s personal means from any source does not exceed a means test income limit.
The Fuel allowance and Increase for Living alone are payable with certain qualifying social welfare payments. As the person concerned is the beneficiary of an Increase for Qualified Adult allowance on their spouses State Pension (contributory), which is not a qualifying payment, they do not have entitlement to these payments.
Under current eligibility conditions, an individual must have 520 full-rate paid contributions in order to qualify for standard State pension (contributory). According to the records of my Department the person concerned has a total of 312 full-rate contributions. I have arranged for a copy of the person’s social insurance record to issue to them. If the person considers that additional contributions or credits have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to my Department.
As my Department has no record of receipt of an application for State pension (contributory) from the person concerned, I have arranged for an application form to issue to them. On receipt of the completed application form their entitlement will be examined.
An application for the means-tested State pension (non-contributory) was received from the person concerned on 24/02/2022. This application was disallowed as they failed to fully disclose their means. They were notified of this decision in writing on 28/04/2022. Following an appeal of this decision, the original decision stands.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
910. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Social Protection the current status of an application by a person (details supplied) for a PPSN; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1597/23]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has allocated a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) to the individual referred to by the Deputy.
A letter confirming the details of his PPSN issued to him on 7th January 2023.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
911. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Social Protection further to Parliamentary Question No. 358 of 14 September 2022, if she will now make a similar decision in line with a number of EU member states in relation to the EU ACSH recommendation to recognise Covid-19 as an occupational injury under the occupational injuries benefit scheme for front-line health workers, in view of the fact that the majority of EU member states have now accepted same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1598/23]
View answerMy Department provides a suite of income supports to those who cannot work due to illness or disability. It is important to note that eligibility for these payments is generally not dependent on the type of the illness or disability but on the extent to which a particular illness or disability impairs or restricts a person’s capacity to work.
Occupational Injuries Benefit is an income support provided by my Department to those who got injured at work or travelling to and from work, or who contracted a prescribed disease at work.
Covid-19 does not constitute a prescribed disease or illness as set out in the Social Welfare Consolidation Act 2005 as it does not meet the criteria laid down in the Act. Section 87 (2) of the Act states that a disease or injury shall be prescribed for the purposes of this section in relation to any insured persons, where the Minister is satisfied that—
(a) it ought to be treated, having regard to its causes and any other relevant considerations, as a risk of their occupations and not as a risk common to all persons, and
(b) it is such that, in the absence of special circumstances, the attribution of particular cases to the nature of the employment can be established or presumed with reasonable certainty.
My Department is aware of the recommendation of the European Commission in this matter and is consulting with other relevant departments on the matter.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
912. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) can qualify for a State pension (contributory) in light of the years of service that they have contributed to the workforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1706/23]
View answerThe person concerned reached pension age on 17 April 2004. An application for State pension (contributory) was received on the 04 April 2018.
According to the records of my Department the person concerned has 399 social insurance contributions giving them a yearly average of 9 which is insufficient to qualify for State Pension (contributory).
A copy of the person’s social insurance contribution record issued with the decision letter on 02 May 2018. If the person concerned considers they have additional contributions from employment that have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence of the missing periods of employment to my Department and their pension entitlement will be reviewed.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
913. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection the effect that the merger of the Kilbarrack and Coolock social protection offices has had; if a review of the merger has been conducted; if the merged office has had a backlog of queries; if so, the size of the backlog; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1778/23]
View answerThe changes that came into effect as a result of the merger of Kilbarrack and Coolock were related to the internal processes of the payments teams. There has been no change for the general public in accessing support and services in either location. The Kilbarrack and Coolock offices are operating as fully functional Intreo Centres offering a range of services including information and reception services, the Community Welfare Service, Activation support and a walk-in PSC service. The Kilbarrack Intreo Centre offers customers the choice of accessing digital services or accessing assistance at reception which is managed by experienced Departmental staff. Access to Community Welfare Officers and Social Welfare Inspectors is available in both locations. Ongoing monitoring of the services in both Intreo Centres is undertaken by Area Managers and Intreo Centre Managers on a daily and weekly basis.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
914. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Social Protection the estimated cost of increasing the school meals programme by 7.5% and 15%, respectively. [1802/23]
View answerThe School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
A budget of €94.4 million has been provided for the scheme in 2023. The estimated cost of increasing the school meals programme by 7.5% and 15% is €7.08m and €14.16m respectively.
I am committed to continuing to expand the school meals programme and building further on the significant extension of the programme in recent years. In this regard, I commissioned the evaluation of the school meals programme to review all elements of the programme. The evaluation will also help to inform future decisions around this important programme.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
915. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide an update on the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1822/23]
View answerThe person concerned exhausted their entitlement to payment of Illness Benefit with effect from 4 November 2022 having received their full entitlement of Illness Benefit. A person who has paid between 104 and 259 PRSI contributions at an appropriate class, since entering employment, is entitled to receive payment of Illness Benefit for a maximum period of 1 year or 312 paid days in any one period of interruption of employment.
The person concerned subsequently made an application for assistance under the terms of the Supplementary Welfare Allowance (SWA) scheme. An examination of their circumstances was undertaken and the individual was found to have means in excess of the SWA rate appropriate to their family circumstances and therefore his application was refused accordingly.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
